ᐅ Floor Plan Optimization – 160 sqm Single-Family Home

Hello dear forum,

I would like to ask for constructive criticism on our floor plan. Please don’t hold back with your critique, everything can still be changed!

Ground Floor

Upper Floor

Site plan on the plot. The property is located at the end of a cul-de-sac next to the forest (forest to the west).

Section

Development Plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 1020 sqm (11,000 sq ft)
Slope: Gentle slope, 1 meter (3 feet) height difference over 25 meters (82 feet)
Border development: Yes, garage to the east
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of stories: 2
Roof type: Gable roof
Style: Modern?
Orientation: Living areas face south, floor plans are almost aligned to north
Maximum height/limits: 9 meters (30 feet)

Owners’ Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: Single-family house, gable roof, KfW40 Plus standard
Basement, floors: No basement, 2 full stories
Number of occupants, age: Currently two adults, planning for two children
Space requirements ground floor and upper floor: 160 sqm (1,722 sq ft) living space
Office: Family use / home office? Wife works from home 3 out of 5 days, so an office is included
Guest stays per year: Rarely, estimated 6 times per year
Open or closed architecture: Very open on the ground floor, more closed upstairs
Open kitchen with island: Planned. The kitchen island should be larger than shown in the plans, possibly moved to the south wall to make it longer
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: Not planned
Balcony, roof terrace: Not planned
Garage, carport: Currently included in plans, but due to major cost increases, we will probably omit garage and carport for now and build later ourselves. Does that make sense?
Vegetable garden, greenhouse: No vegetable garden planned, but a garden shed for tools

House Design
Designer: Architect from the general contractor
- Open living, dining, kitchen area on ground floor was a must
- Two full stories
- Technical room built as separate extension
- Utility room upstairs
- 6000-liter (1,585 gallon) cistern
- Seating window in living area
- Wrap-around terrace from south to west (to be finished later by ourselves; contractor will only do frost protection)
Price estimate by architect/planner: With garage and carport, 550,000 euros in solid wood construction made of cross-laminated timber. Includes 10 kW photovoltaic system + 10 kW storage. Earthworks included.
Personal price limit for house including fittings: Actually 520,000 euros, so a more cost-effective alternative to garage and carport is being sought
Preferred heating technology: Heat pump

If you had to give up, which details/upgrades
- Could give up: garage (see above); aluminum front door; cistern
- Cannot give up: open kitchen; technical extension, otherwise the floor plan doesn’t work

Why does the design look the way it does?
It’s a mix of many examples from various magazines. I then sketched a design in an architectural program and took it to the builder, who implemented it as shown here.

What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?

How should I best plan the garage/carport to later build a carport myself? Should I have the slab poured now and buy a carport kit later?
Since we’re building without a basement, I plan a garden shed. Do I also need a poured slab for the garden shed? Then it might make sense to have the builder do it now.
Is the extra cost for the aluminum front door worth it? (Plastic door 2500 euros, aluminum 5000 euros).

I’m grateful for any tips!
Thank you very much!
Best regards

Likee68 schrieb:

Slope: Gentle slope, 1 meter over 25 meters (3.3 feet over 82 feet)

Where exactly is the slope located?
If there is little feedback, that usually indicates there are no major mistakes.
Personally, I would prefer to access the technical room from inside the house.
What is the blue item? Cushions?
Windows above the bed would personally bother me.

Likee68 schrieb:

Do I also need a poured concrete foundation for the garden shed?

No, paving stones, slabs, or a wooden deck are sufficient.

Likee68 schrieb:

Is the extra cost for the aluminum front door worth it?

That depends on your personal preference. What do you expect from an aluminum door? We chose our general contractor, among other reasons, because they offered a wooden door.

Likee68 schrieb:

Plastic 2,500 euros, aluminum 5,000 euros.

And wood? 😉

I can’t align the ground floor and upper floor plans regarding the garage and this X (probably a skylight?) yet. Am I the only one with this issue?

If the area on the ground floor at the bottom right is a corner window, leave it out—it only adds cost.
I would plan the garage door to be at the same level as the entrance door; this makes parking in the carport easier and reduces the risk of scratches.

ypg schrieb:

Where is the slope located?

The slope descends from the upper right corner to the lower left corner.

ypg schrieb:

Personally, I would prefer to enter the technical room from inside the house.

I would prefer that too, but then we would need a door leading out from the restroom, and the utility connections run inward there... Moving the technical room again causes issues with the setback requirements from the property boundary.

ypg schrieb:

What is the blue thing? Cushions?

Yes, it’s just a decorative item from the planner.

SoL schrieb:

Windows above the bed would personally bother me.

Why would that bother you? There are two full stories, so the windows would be quite high.

ypg schrieb:

No, paving stones, slabs, or wooden decking are sufficient.

According to the development plan, we’re only allowed to build 10 sqm (108 sq ft) as an “ancillary structure.” So I would actually plan that without a concrete foundation.

ypg schrieb:

That’s something you have to decide yourself. What do you expect from aluminum? We chose our general contractor partly because he offered a wooden door. And wood? 😉

Our general contractor always recommends these aluminum doors because they are considered the "business card" of the house — they sound solid and look more impressive. But good tip about the wooden door; I will look into that.

SoL schrieb:

I can’t align the ground floor and first floor plans regarding the garage and that X (probably a skylight?). Am I the only one?

Well, except for the extension, the plans are the same size. The walls just don’t line up exactly. Hopefully, the structural engineer won’t have to adjust them...

SoL schrieb:

If that is corner glazing at the bottom right of the ground floor, leave it out; it just costs money.

Yes, kind of. Actually, for cost reasons, we want two windows next to each other, each with its own frame.

SoL schrieb:

I would plan the door to the garage at the same height as the main entrance door. It makes parking in the carport easier and reduces the risk of scratches.

Good tip!

Thanks for your suggestions so far!

Do you think there is enough space for a coat rack and shoe cabinets to the left behind the apartment entrance door (above the office)?
We will probably leave out the skylight on the carport due to cost (about 2000 euros). Do you think the entrance area under the carport will be too dark without it?

I would reduce the size of the office by 60 cm (or a bit more) and plan for a built-in wardrobe. Otherwise, I like the layout, although personally, I find the axis from the entrance through the hallway to the kitchen a bit too open. You have already considered a larger island. Otherwise, the workspace in the kitchen would be rather limited.

Myrna_Loy schrieb:

I would reduce the office by 60cm (or a bit more) and plan to include a built-in wardrobe.

Good idea, I do expect some clutter without a built-in wardrobe. Although then the office might become a bit small at around 8.5–9sqm (91–97 sq ft)...

Myrna_Loy schrieb:

Otherwise, I like the design, even though personally I would find the alignment of entrance hallway and kitchen too open. You’ve already considered a larger island. Otherwise, the workspace in the kitchen might be quite limited.

Thanks!
In the first version, the right wall of the living room was 80cm (31 inches) longer to create a more defined separate area. But we shortened it because otherwise, the distance to the kitchen island would have been too small.

I’m not yet sure if the open area will bother me. Nowadays, most layouts are that open anyway.